


We All Fall Down

by Sessaware



Series: Muse Plays [4]
Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Comedy, Gen, Good Times and also Not Good Times, Jenga, Tournament Arc, but again it's all comedy baby, jk, no romance but that doesn't mean we can't have fun here right fellas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2018-11-04
Packaged: 2019-08-17 11:01:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16515092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sessaware/pseuds/Sessaware
Summary: Creation and destruction lay on two sides of the same coin, but are there any real winners in such a high stakes game? The girls are determined to find out, whatever the cost.





	We All Fall Down

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! It's only been, what, two years since I've done anything with this series? Good thing it's very casual. Haha! Ha.
> 
> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!

"Welcome back, sports fans, to the first ever Muse Jenga Tournament finals. Today's game is the culmination of a long most-of-the-afternoon season and the competition could not be fiercer between our finalists. What's your take on these potential champions, Coach Rin?"

"Well, Miss Nozomi, it'll be an interesting game, that's for sure, nya! Miss Eli Ayase has been the stead fast talent of the season. Who could forget that stunning battle of wits against Maki Nishikino in the semi finals? Her careful handiwork and unwavering poker face will make her a serious force to be reckoned with!" Rin nods sagely, gratefully accepting a cup of tea from Kotori as she poured for everyone, "However there's no way to tell if these skills will have any advantage against her opponent. Honoka Kousaka is a wild card and an old pro at Jenga, having played it against her sister for ten consecutive summers at their grandparents house. She has a lot of confidence and has been known to make bold plays! Her match against Hanayo Koizumi in the second round had spectators in awe when she took a side piece second from the bottom, nya!"

"Truly this will be a match worth watching! Speaking of, it seems our players are ready to begin. Let's watch carefully as referee Umi Sonoda, a former Jenga player herself in this season, opens the match!" 

Umi clears her throat as she kneels before the table upon which sits a tower of wooden blocks. On either side of her, facing one another, sit Honoka and Eli, maintaining eye contact, one grinning competitively, the other calm as can be.

"Remember: No nudging, batting, or trash talk is allowed from either competitor. Both competitors and spectators will remain as quiet as possible during the match and, should someone need a break for any reason, it must be requested silently." She turns to face Nozomi and Rin, casts a begrudging look to them, "And I'm only allowing this announcer game you two are playing if you keep it to a whisper, okay?"

"Just like golf, nya." Rin smiles, already speaking lowly.

"Or poetry slams." Nozomi adds in the same tone.

Umi resists rolling her eyes, turning back to the table, "We'll decide who starts like always; Nico, if you would?"

Nico takes a coin out of her pocket and prepares to flip it, "Call."

"Heads!" Honoka yells.

"Tails." 

The sound of the coin sings as Nico launches it with the sudden holding of breath as they all watch her catch it. Nico covers the coin as it lands in her grasp and tentatively unveils it.

"Tails! Eli starts!"

"Understood. Thank you, Nico." Umi looks between Honoka and Eli, lingers on Honoka as she says, "I want a nice, clean game, you two! No funny business."

"Kotori, tell Umi not to stare at me when she says that!" Honoka whines but Kotori only giggles in response.

"Let the game begin!"

Eli breathes deeply before pulling out a loose piece from higher up the tower. Honoka cracks her knuckles and makes a similar move.

"Getting rid of the easier marks first, I see." Nozomi whispers.

"A classic strategy we see from most seasoned players." Rin replies.

It's a few more moments before Eli moves to push another block only to find it resisting somewhat. Her brow furrows almost imperceptibly but Honoka smirks. After a moment, Eli chooses a different block, a row higher and, without hesitation, Honoka takes away the one Eli had passed on.

A light gasp runs through the room.

"What a power move!" Nozomi stage whispers.

"We've got guest commentator, Kayo-chin, here to give us her opinion, nya! What did you think of that last move?"

"E-eh? Oh, I'm just glad I didn't make it far in this. It's so nerve wracking!"

"Quite!" Nozomi replies, "Let's see how Elicchi responds."

Eli raises a brow at Honoka and smiles, a challenge, as she slides out a block two below Honoka's removal. Honoka spends much of her next turn analyzing the tower with a bit of her tongue sticking out before electing to move a block nearer the middle. Eli takes a safer route, eliminating one of the blocks that had loosened over the course of the game. Honoka weakens the center further with another removal opposite the side of her last move. As Eli calculates her options, a small timer goes off.

"Half time." Umi declares, "Anyone who needs to stretch, do so now."

Kotori and Nico spring into action, Kotori giving Honoka a cup of tea and Nico rubbing Eli's shoulders.

"Honoka, I know you can win! Just stay loose and hydrated! I believe in you! Here's some cute cat pictures to stay motivated!"

"You got that kid on the ropes, Eli! Don't give up! There can only be one champion today and for once I'll allow it to be someone other than me!"

"The competitors' coaches have stepped in during the break but what's half time without a half time show, right, Coach Rin?"

"Right, Miss Nozomi!" They both look expectantly at Maki who startles.

"Wait, what? What are you looking at me for? I'm not doing any kind of show for you, we're already doing this at my house!" 

"Oh, Maki! That's exactly why you have to do the half time show! It's sponsored by the home team!" Rin insists.

"What home team? We're playing as individuals and Honoka beat me last round!"

"Ladies and girls, please put your hands together for the half time entertainment show provided by our host arena, Nishikino Stadiums!" Nozomi carries forward, ignoring Maki's protests.

"I said wait! Why aren't you asking Nico to do this, she loves this kind of thing!" Maki blusters.

Nico glares at her, "I've got my own work to do as Eli's coach! No matter how much better I'd be at it, the coveted half time show is up to you!"

Maki looks to Umi to get her to wrangle this situation into order, but she's gone to the washroom. As a last effort, she looks pleadingly to Hanayo, but the girl only looks back with shimmering, excited eyes, waiting for a performance Maki doesn't want to give.

Her willpower is shattered under the weight of potentially disappointing such a pure gaze.

Maki sighs and walks over to the baby grand she has in her room ("Of course you do." Nico had said bitterly, the first time she'd seen it) and opens the lid, playing a version of the Charge fanfare that sounds ill fitting on piano rather than pipe organ. Nonetheless, Hanayo, Rin, and Nozomi all whoop and cheer at the ditty and Maki takes her seat again as Umi gets settled to restart the game.

"Everyone ready?" She asks, looking around for objection, "Honoka? Eli?"

"Ready!"

"Ready."

The competitive glint in both their eyes is unmistakable. Eli, having scouted her choice during the break, moves quickly but carefully in pulling out her block. Honoka goes low, a move that makes Hanayo gasp in recognition and the others stare wide eyed. The tower wobbles dangerously but settles.

Eli counterbalances by taking a block higher than Honoka's but on the opposite side. The weight shifts slowly, every eye locked on each subtle sway of the blocks. It stays strong as Eli places the block on top and ends her turn. Honoka takes another lower block, prompting Eli to repeat her last play. Instead, Eli moves a block on the same row, suspending the tower on a single horizontal block fourth from the base. 

Another gasp runs through the room.

"Unbelievable!" Nozomi mutters.

"An Unprecedented move from Eli Ayase!" Rin agrees.

Umi shoots them both a look and they jolt back into silence.

The game continues, the tower shaking and stabilizing again with every turn. Each move either bold or careful depending on their opponent. Kotori dabs Honoka's forehead with a handkerchief. Nico feeds Eli a cookie. Umi stares at every move like an eagle and neither announcer nor spectator make a sound.

It's Honoka's turn when Maki's mother calls from the hallway.

"Maki! I have a basket of your laundry all folded for you!"

"Mom, no!" Maki yells, but it's too late.

Her hands occupied with the basket, Mrs. Nishikino kicks open the door with just a little too much force.

The slam of the door reverberates around the room, through the floor, the legs of the table and then the tower....

Shifts...

Sways...

Every person looks hysterically to the tower, save Mrs. Nishikino who gingerly places the basket next to Maki's dresser.

Topples.

Mrs. Nishikino nearly leaps out of her skin at the chorus of shrieks that roar in her daughter's bedroom. When she looks at them, almost afraid, there's wooden blocks scattered everywhere and teenage girls in a veritable panic. She thinks the one with long dark hair, Umi she remembers Maki saying, is crying.

Mrs. Nishikino carefully moves backward until she's near the door and sprints away.


End file.
